Post and base member



1966 A. B. HAMMlTT 3,267,627

POST AND BASE MEMBER Filed Aug. 17, 1965 46 &/ F/G. 3 4a INVENTOR.

BY ANDRE W R HAM/"l/TT ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 3,267,627 POST AND BASE MEMBER Andrew B. Hammitt, 909 W. State St., Trenton, NJ. Filed Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 480,404 1 Claim. (Cl. 52298) This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Serial No. 137,562, now issued as US. Patent No. 3,209,869.

This invention relates to posts, columns, mullions or the like adapted for use in partition assemblies, curtain Walls and elsewhere and is directed particularly to mounting means by which such posts and the like may be secured in position.

The posts or columns used in many partition assemblies and elsewhere are generally H-shaped in cross section and are secured to the floor or base by means of various types of brackets, holders or the like which are securedto the floor and post.

In accordance with the present invention, post or column mounting means are formed integral with the post or column itself whereby the construction is simplified and its strength is increased. This may be eifected by removing a portion of the sides or central web of the H-shaped column adjacent the end thereof and turning the remaining portion or portions of the column at right angles to form a foot adapted to be secured to the floor or base on which the column is mounted. At the same time, the base of the column may be surrounded or enclosed Within a holder or sleeve which serves to improve the appearance of the base and may itself be secured to the fioor or support on which the post or column is mounted.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the mounting of posts or columns on a floor, base or support, and to provide mounting means for a post or column which are integral with the column itself.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a post or column which is H-shaped in cross section or consisting of a vertically extending I-beam with mounting means formed integral therewith and produced by removing one or more portions of the post or beam adjacent the end thereof and bending the remaining portions at right angles to form a foot or mounting means.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the following description thereof wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating a portion of a typical partition assembly embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a detail of the construction shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in FIG. 1, the post or column 2 is generally H- shaped in cross section and has spaced parallel face portions 4 which are joined by a transversely extending central web portion 6. Posts of this type may be readily formed of extruded or rolled metal such as aluminum, iron or steel or various alloys and may be cut into standard or specified lengths for use in partition assemblies or as columns, mullions or the like in curtain walls or elsewhere in building constructions. Further as described in said copending application, the face portions 4 of the post or column may be provided with inwardly projecting locking ribs 8 for receiving and holding horizontal rails or other elements if desired.

The lower end of the post or column 2 is preferably received within a base member or floor anchor 10 or other sleeve or collar adapted to be mounted on the floor, base "ice or support on which the column is erected. As shown and described in said US. Patent No. 3,209,869, the floor anchor may be formed in two separable parts 12 and 14 adapted to be secured together by suitably positioned bolts 16. The floor anchor extends about the lower end of the column and closely embraces the same so as to be clamped on the post or column. The lower portion of the collar preferably also is provided with an outwardly extending flange 18 which, if desired, may be provided with openings 19 through which screws or other fastening means may be passed into the floor or supporting surface for securing the post in an erect position and a fixed location on the fioor.

The oppositely facing channel portions 20 of the post or column may be closed by filler members or rail supports 22 as described in copending applications Serial Nos. 137,562 and 464,344. In this way, rails 24 may be supported and held in place to receive panels of wall forming material or the like as shown at 26. The assembly thus provides a neat finished appearance having architectural appeal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower end of the post 2 may be formed with one or more feet 28 and 30 which extend in opposite directions from the central web 6. In producing this construction, the face portions 4 of the post are removed so as to leave the central web 6 extending beyond the lower ends 32 of the face portions 4, after which the web 6 is split vertically as shown in dotted lines at 34. The two portions of the projecting central web 6 :are then turned in opposite directions from the central Web to form the feet 28 and 30. In this way, the feet can be formed integral with the web portion 6 of the column and located in a horizontal position so as to extend at right angle to both the central web portion 6 and the side portions 4 of the post or column. The feet may rest upon a supporting surface and are preferably drilled to form the holes 36 for receiving screws or bolts employed in securing the post or column in place on the supporting surface, after which the floor anchor or collar 10 may be applied thereto and clamped about the lower end of the post to present a neat finished assembly.

As shown in FIG. 3, it is often desirable in the alternative to remove a portion of the central web 6 from between the side portions 4 of the post so as to provide projecting ends of the face portions adjacent the lower end of the post. The locking ribs 8 may also be removed from the projecting ends of the side portions 4 so as to provide extensions such as those indicated in dotted lines at 40 in FIG. 3. The projecting ends 40 may then be drilled at 42 and turned inward toward each other and beneath the lower end of the central web portion 6 of the post to form the oppositely extending feet 44 and 46 which are designed to engage and be secured in place on the floor so as to to hold the post in an erect position. The floor anchor 48 can then be applied to the post to provide a finished attractive assembly and aid in holding the post in a vertical position. Filler members 22 can be inserted within the oppositely facing channels of the column as shown in FIG. 1 and described more fully in copending application Serial No. 464,344. 7

In each of the forms of the invention shown in the drawing, the oppositely extending feet by which the post or column is secured in place are formed integral with the post itself and extend at right angles to the web and face portions of the post. At the same time, the feet lie within the outer sides of the post so that a floor anchor or collar may fit closely about the post to present a neat and attractive appearance. Furthermore, the construction also permits the post or column to be provided with filler or spacer elements which close the channels in the post whereby it may be employed in partition assemblies and elsewhere as described in said copending application.

It will, thus, be apparent that various types of posts, columns, mullions and other building elements may be produced simply and economically to provide integrally formed mounting means for securing the same in place in accordance with the present invention. In view thereof, it should be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing and described above are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A building construction comprising a vertically extending post which is generally H-shaped in cross section and embodies a central web portion extending between and at right angles to spaced parallel face portions of said post and located between the opposite vertical edges of said face portions of the post, the face portions of said post at the lower end of the post extending beyond the central web portion of the post, the extended lower ends of the face portions of said post projecting inwardly in opposite directions at right angles to all of said portions of the post References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,494 12/1926 Malone 52-298 X 953,060 3/1910 Ross 52298 2,114,155 4/1938 Streich 52-729 X 2,871,997 2/1959 Simpson et a1 52 729 X 2,937,766 5/1960 Penn 52--298 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primruy Examiner.

R. S. V ERMUT, Assistant Examiner. 

